Bus 111 runs as the CTA Airport Shuttle for CAI
CTA Airport Shuttle is the public bus link between Cairo International Airport’s Terminals 1, 2, 3 and the city, with routes like Bus 111 heading to Ramses Square and the metro at El Shohadaa. Services generally run throughout the day and evening, giving you a low-cost option straight from the terminal forecourts. This is the budget move compared with airport taxis or private cars.
At Terminal 1, look for CTA bus stops outside the arrivals hall near the general car park area, where multiple city buses line up and display route numbers such as 111 or 381 on the front. In Terminals 2 and 3, CTA buses usually stop on the roadway just outside arrivals, in the same zone where hotel shuttles and airport taxis wait. All stops sit landside, so you exit baggage claim and customs first, then walk 2–5 minutes to the curb.
Fares on CTA Airport Shuttle routes are typically paid in Egyptian pounds on board, cash only, directly to the driver or conductor, and tickets on standard city routes can cost under 20 EGP per ride depending on distance and route. Have small notes or coins ready; handing over a 200 EGP bill for a short ride slows things down and sometimes leads to awkward change discussions. You usually board through the front door, pay, then move back to find a seat.
Frequency varies by route and time, but daytime headways for key airport–city buses like 111 can sit around 20–40 minutes, stretching later at night past 22:00. There’s no real-time app tied directly to the CTA system that’s widely used by visitors, so treat the timetable as approximate and build at least a 30-minute buffer if you’re catching a train or domestic flight from another terminal. Most buses run every day, including Fridays and public holidays, but with lighter schedules.
Using CTA Airport Shuttle with luggage is doable, but the standard city buses don’t have separate underfloor baggage holds, so your suitcase rides in the aisle or on the seat next to you. If you’re landing into Terminal 3 on a long-haul around 03:00, you might wait longer than 30 minutes for the next bus, and at that hour a taxi quoted around 250–400 EGP to central Cairo can be worth pricing out as a backup. Crowding spikes in the late afternoon when local commuters are heading home.
Here’s a simple playbook: 1) Clear customs in Terminal 1, 2, or 3 and walk to the arrivals curb in under 5–10 minutes. 2) Find the CTA stop and confirm the bus route number on the front sign, aiming for 111 or another city-bound line. 3) Keep at least 20–50 EGP in small bills ready before boarding. 4) Pay the driver, grab a seat near your bag, and watch for your stop using an offline map. 5) On the way back to CAI, plan to arrive at your terminal at least 2.5–3 hours before an international departure to cover traffic and security.
One tip: screenshot your hotel or neighborhood name in Arabic before you leave the terminal so you can show it to the driver or fellow passengers if you’re unsure which stop on the CTA Airport Shuttle is closest.